DROID X Review - Extremely Detailed!

[Shira]

Hey Guys,

I just received the DROID X as a prize from the @DroidLanding contest on Sunday. After I received it I realized a lot of reviews lacked in depth information and just scanned over the features of the phones that really make it unique, and nobody hardly ever said anything negative about it. That encouraged me to make my own review!

I've written a 9 page review, taken videos, pictures, screen shots etc and posted it on my friends website for all to read.

Check out the review at

The Complete DROID X Review

Also, don't forget to check out the rest of his site, he's got some cool home improvement things going on

Thanks peeps! Enjoy the review!

- BlakeDC

UPDATE - The video went down for a second, but I posted it back up on breakandmake.com Silly editors!

UPDATE - The second video is now up. Check it out under THE UI and Blur section of the review. Poor turtle

Also, The radio needs the headphones in as the antenna I get it now!

 

[techguru]

Congrats on the win! I am a member of a VZW focus group and also got an X yesterday and am working on my review, but yours looks in depth enough that it may make mine moot.

I'll take a close read after my next conference call and add anything I think you missed.

You got the DC one right? Maybe we should arrange a DC DroidX meet-up. I work next dor to Unionn Station.

Alan

 

[jsh1120]

Nice review, Blake. One point...

"...The last feature I’ll cover is the FM Radio, which I haven’t used, because, for some reason, Moto decided that you can only use this feature with headphones plugged in. It doesn’t even let you load the application to just look at it without headphones. I’m assuming there may be some voodoo going on where it uses some of the headphones to work as an antenna? Who knows? Either way, Moto you should fix this too, because that speaker on the back of the phone is perfectly capable of playing music, commercials and annoying Disk Jockeys who think they’re cool and funny...."

Your assumption is correct. The headphone cable is required as an FM antenna. Ipod NANO FM functionality is identical. Doubt you'll see a change there.

 

[Shira]

Sweet! Yeah i missed a few things, but I mainly focused on the Camera and UI reviews, but i cover everything that i could think of. I didn't do a script or anything, i just grabbed the camera and phone and went to town lol. I added the camera video and i'm rendering my UI review for youtube now.

I'm also going to write the story of me winning the Droid X via the contest. It was actually pretty fun!

cool about working in DC, I used to work in the Marshall building (All glass from lobby with bamboo trees) to the east of Union Station accross the road. I've since moved on though hah.

 

[Shira]

Nice review, Blake. One point...

"...The last feature I’ll cover is the FM Radio, which I haven’t used, because, for some reason, Moto decided that you can only use this feature with headphones plugged in. It doesn’t even let you load the application to just look at it without headphones. I’m assuming there may be some voodoo going on where it uses some of the headphones to work as an antenna? Who knows? Either way, Moto you should fix this too, because that speaker on the back of the phone is perfectly capable of playing music, commercials and annoying Disk Jockeys who think they’re cool and funny...."

Your assumption is correct. The headphone cable is required as an FM antenna. Ipod NANO FM functionality is identical. Doubt you'll see a change there.

that sucks! in a way...because i hate switching modes on my car unit. If i could just hit FM Radio and go i'd much prefer it than switching through the uneasy UI of my Pioneer BT Car Reciever.

 

[techguru]

One note, there are some really good (paid) apps that are not appearing in the market for the X yet. I suspect they'll be there tomorrow, but if you are moving from another Android device, some of your apps may not be visible. Basically any app that the author asked for copy protection won't show up until Google update their database.

Alan

 

[Shira]

One note, there are some really good (paid) apps that are not appearing in the market for the X yet. I suspect they'll be there tomorrow, but if you are moving from another Android device, some of your apps may not be visible. Basically any app that the author asked for copy protection won't show up until Google update their database.

Alan

This is very true. I had Absolute Fitness on my DROID and it wasn't showing up in the "purchased" list on the X. I believe that was the only one, but i'm not sure. I can't even search for it in the market either, it wont show up. Oh well! I'm sure it'll be fixed come thursday night or friday. Google usually fixes those things pretty easily.

 

[gatewayad]

Long thread........... So it sounds like Google was the one to make sure the bootloader was unsigned on the Droid? Everything I'm getting from this is that the Droid was a 3 way collaboration between Verizon, Google and Motorola and the other phones are not and that's the only explanation they give for having an unsigned bootloader. Really sounds like the X will have the same issues as the Milestone as far as custom roms.
My feelings are if you like the customization aspect of android I would suggest sticking to the Droid or Nexus One, JMO

 

[jsh1120]

Nice review, Blake. One point...

"...The last feature I’ll cover is the FM Radio, which I haven’t used, because, for some reason, Moto decided that you can only use this feature with headphones plugged in. It doesn’t even let you load the application to just look at it without headphones. I’m assuming there may be some voodoo going on where it uses some of the headphones to work as an antenna? Who knows? Either way, Moto you should fix this too, because that speaker on the back of the phone is perfectly capable of playing music, commercials and annoying Disk Jockeys who think they’re cool and funny...."

Your assumption is correct. The headphone cable is required as an FM antenna. Ipod NANO FM functionality is identical. Doubt you'll see a change there.

that sucks! in a way...because i hate switching modes on my car unit. If i could just hit FM Radio and go i'd much prefer it than switching through the uneasy UI of my Pioneer BT Car Reciever.

You're missing the point, I think. It won't work without the headphone cable because you need that wire to act as an antenna. Without it, the reception is unacceptable. You could, of course, attach a three foot long telescoping car antenna from a 1976 Torino to your phone but you might not like that either.

 

[Shira]

Nice review, Blake. One point...

"...The last feature I’ll cover is the FM Radio, which I haven’t used, because, for some reason, Moto decided that you can only use this feature with headphones plugged in. It doesn’t even let you load the application to just look at it without headphones. I’m assuming there may be some voodoo going on where it uses some of the headphones to work as an antenna? Who knows? Either way, Moto you should fix this too, because that speaker on the back of the phone is perfectly capable of playing music, commercials and annoying Disk Jockeys who think they’re cool and funny...."

Your assumption is correct. The headphone cable is required as an FM antenna. Ipod NANO FM functionality is identical. Doubt you'll see a change there.

that sucks! in a way...because i hate switching modes on my car unit. If i could just hit FM Radio and go i'd much prefer it than switching through the uneasy UI of my Pioneer BT Car Reciever.

You're missing the point, I think. It won't work without the headphone cable because you need that wire to act as an antenna. Without it, the reception is unacceptable. You could, of course, attach a three foot long telescoping car antenna from a 1976 Torino to your phone but you might not like that either.

haha no i got the point. Just saying that I wanted to listen w/o the headphones But i've never opened it...you could have the headphones in but select another output method! Let me go test.

 

[Shira]

Yeah you can use the rear speaker...just have to have the headphones jacked in

 

[techguru]

Nice review, Blake. One point...

"...The last feature I’ll cover is the FM Radio, which I haven’t used, because, for some reason, Moto decided that you can only use this feature with headphones plugged in. It doesn’t even let you load the application to just look at it without headphones. I’m assuming there may be some voodoo going on where it uses some of the headphones to work as an antenna? Who knows? Either way, Moto you should fix this too, because that speaker on the back of the phone is perfectly capable of playing music, commercials and annoying Disk Jockeys who think they’re cool and funny...."

Your assumption is correct. The headphone cable is required as an FM antenna. Ipod NANO FM functionality is identical. Doubt you'll see a change there.

that sucks! in a way...because i hate switching modes on my car unit. If i could just hit FM Radio and go i'd much prefer it than switching through the uneasy UI of my Pioneer BT Car Reciever.

You're missing the point, I think. It won't work without the headphone cable because you need that wire to act as an antenna. Without it, the reception is unacceptable. You could, of course, attach a three foot long telescoping car antenna from a 1976 Torino to your phone but you might not like that either.

If your stereo has an aux port, you can use a direct cable from the headset jack to the aux port. Works fine as an antenna as long as it is at least 3' long. Before it blew up (long story) I was using a cassette adapter in my old stereo with my Incredible and occasionally used the radio app rather than switching to the car radio.

Alan

 

[gujupmp88]

panorama shots are cool, i used to have an omnia and that had it also. The camera features on the omnia still blow the competition out of the water, too bad the phone part didn't stack up as nice though. oh well, i'm seriously considering buying this phone.

 

[modified]

Just some advice regarding the review:

Try to put headings between the sections you are reviewing (sort of like Engadget). It makes it easier to comprehend instead of digesting the review like an essay paragraph.

Other then that, well done. Dedicated write up!

 

[Shira]

Just some advice regarding the review:

Try to put headings between the sections you are reviewing (sort of like Engadget). It makes it easier to comprehend instead of digesting the review like an essay paragraph.

Other then that, well done. Dedicated write up!

Thanks

It was a rushed release, because we wanted to get it out before tomorrow and we both have jobs so we don't have all the time in the world to write/edit these things. My total time dedicated to this was about 2 hours 20 minutes so the videos are 1 shoot and the review was just me sitting down rambling about features.

Later on I'll be reviewing other phones and devices with a little more time on my hands! And we're still editing this review as we go...not a good practice, but we dont have time! dancedroid